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She didn’t answer his question directly with ‘yes, I’m friendly with everyone’ but she still managed to answer it.
“You also know my neighbor right next to me.”
She glanced up from adding another scoop of formula to the bottle. “Ms. Bordella or Mr. and Mrs. Forrester?”
Of course, she’d know both of his neighbors right next to him on either side.
He chuckled. “Mrs. Forrester.” He picked up the paper that had been lying on his counter the entire weekend. “She dropped off the recipe you two talked about.”
“Yay. I’m so excited to try it. She was telling me about these ham bites she made. They sounded delicious and she offered me the recipe.”
Right. Okay.
“How do you know all my neighbors? I don’t even know their names.”
Her eyes widened as if she didn’t know how to answer that. “Like you asked, I guess I’m friendly. I can’t help myself.”
“You’re one of those chatters.”
He couldn’t stand those kinds of people.
“Chatters?”
“You know, when you’re standing in line waiting to buy something and the person in front of you or behind you keeps talking to you like you want to have a conservation. I can’t stand it. I want to buy my shit and get out. Not talk about your life story and the cramps you’re having that morning.”
She snorted. “Someone actually tell you that?”
He nodded, laughing. “Yeah, the lady last week when I was getting groceries. She kept making cooing noises at Amelie and talking nonstop. I finally snapped when she touched Amelie’s cheek like she had permission to do so. She had the nerve to call me rude. My daughter. Not yours. Don’t touch.”
“Wow. Some people. I’m not that chatty.” Genevieve giggled. At least she didn’t think so. She held Amelie in one arm while she twisted on the bottle lid, then started to shake it, pressing her thumb over the nipple to hold in the milk.
She looked like a natural. Born to be a mother. He hated how much he liked seeing her hold Amelie. How perfect she and Amelie looked together. How much he was starting to like her, his hatred melting.
The last three weeks had been more enjoyable than he wanted to admit. And he wouldn’t admit it to anyone if they asked. He figured he’d let her see Amelie once or twice a year and call it good between them. Except when she asked to come again the same week, he couldn’t say no. Not when she looked at him with such sorrowful eyes filled with so much pain. He could relate to that kind of pain.
Then she asked again. And again. And here they were, three weeks later getting a little too comfortable with each other, talking like they were old friends.
“I suppose you know all your neighbors.”
She nodded and walked around him toward the couch. “I suppose I shouldn’t tell you I know most of the people in my building.”
Somehow that didn’t sound hard to believe. He took a seat on the opposite end of the couch, the same distance he normally did when she fed Amelie.
“Did I see cupcakes in your hands?”
Her brows lifted, her lips spreading into a wily grin. “I’m surprised you noticed them.”
“It’s something sweet, I’m gonna notice.” He would admit to a sweet tooth.
When he was younger, his mother would bake goodies all the time. Of course, his dad would find any excuse under the sun why he couldn’t have any, forcing him to sneak some at night. Or hide them in his room when his mom would smuggle some in to him. So maybe he indulged a little too much as an adult because if he wanted something, he was damn well going to have it. No more letting anyone deny him the pleasure he deserved.
He shifted in his spot when Genevieve’s smile brightened.Down, boy.Just because her smiles were starting to grow on him didn’t mean he should do something about it.
She had a boyfriend. Not that she’d mentioned Julio in the last three weeks. It either meant she didn’t want to talk about the guy or they broke up. He wasn’t sure which one he preferred.
“Why did you bring cupcakes?” Because he wasn’t going to say no to one.
“To celebrate. This little sweetie pie turned six months old today.” She kissed her forehead, her entire face beaming with pride. “Yes, you did.” Giving her one more kiss.
